Republican lawmakers inundated President Joe Biden with more questions and critiques Tuesday as America awaited his appearance at press conference on Afghanistan, originally scheduled for noon Eastern but moved to over four hours later.
Biden was originally poised to speak on the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan at noon, hours after reports surfaced, indicating his decision to stick to the August 31 deadline to withdraw and complete evacuations after the Taliban said an extension would not be accepted. Meanwhile, thousands of Americans remain stranded in the jihadist-run country.
“Even if the Biden Admin doesn’t know the exact number of Americans still in Afghanistan, they could and should still reveal the number of Americans they DO KNOW are still in Afghanistan,” Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) said on Tuesday, the day after Pentagon press secretary John Kirby refused to provide the number of Americans evacuated from the hostile area thus far:
Even if the Biden Admin doesn’t know the exact number of Americans still in Afghanistan, they could and should still reveal the number of Americans they DO KNOW are still in Afghanistan.
— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) August 24, 2021
“Actions speak louder than words and America is watching Joe Biden let the Afghanistan withdrawal spiral out of control,” Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) remarked as Biden remained late to his scheduled address:
Actions speak louder than words and America is watching Joe Biden let the Afghanistan withdrawal spiral out of control.
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) August 24, 2021
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) offered a series of questions to Biden:
How many Americans are trapped in Afghanistan?
How many have we gotten out?
Can we get them all out by the Taliban’s August 31 deadline?
And if not, what is Joe Biden going to do?
How many Americans are trapped in Afghanistan?
How many have we gotten out?
Can we get them all out by the Taliban’s August 31 deadline?
And if not, what is Joe Biden going to do?
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) August 24, 2021
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), meanwhile, told reporters there is “no way possible” for the U.S. to complete Afghanistan withdrawal by the looming August 31 deadline:
House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy tells @NikolenDC there's "no way possible" for U.S. to complete Afghanistan withdrawal by August 31 deadline
He says the House should spend its time "only focused on this. Until every American's out, we should not be working on anything else." pic.twitter.com/iAddClepQ8
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 24, 2021
“While Americans remain stranded in Afghanistan, Biden takes orders from the Taliban. It’s unacceptable. We need to get every American out, and do whatever it takes,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) remarked, adding that Biden is continuing to show “how unfit he is to lead as commander in chief”:
While Americans remain stranded in Afghanistan, Biden takes orders from the Taliban. It’s unacceptable. We need to get every American out, and do whatever it takes.
Every day, Joe Biden shows how unfit he is to lead as commander in chief. https://t.co/c2JWwEpN7b
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) August 24, 2021
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) penned a letter to Biden on Tuesday, emphasizing the fundamental importance of evacuating Americans and urging the president to “not to allow the Taliban to set the timetable for evacuations.”
“The United States should not answer to terrorists, and it is deeply troubling that the terms of U.S. evacuations are being set by the Taliban,” he said:
Since August 14, about 5,000 Americans have been evacuated, but as many as 10,000 reportedly still remain. These Americans and our allies must be located, transported to the Kabul airport, and flown out of Afghanistan.
— Senator Roger Wicker (@SenatorWicker) August 24, 2021
“The world just witnessed the President of the United States take orders from a band of barbaric terrorists while ignoring the pleas of our international allies and American citizens he will leave behind,” Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) said, striking a similar tone and declaring the president a “coward”:
The world just witnessed the President of the United States take orders from a band of barbaric terrorists while ignoring the pleas of our international allies and American citizens he will leave behind.
Joe Biden is a coward. https://t.co/f07NHHR3Bn
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) August 24, 2021
“Joe Biden put Taliban in charge,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) declared:
Joe Biden put Taliban in charge.
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) August 24, 2021
Biden is expected to speak at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. Prior to his speech, reports began to surface indicating the U.S. military is beginning to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.
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